Of fashions, fads and evidenced-based medicine

Abstract

Fashions, fads and memes come and go. Some, like PacMan or lava-lamps, nostalgically bring a smile to the lips; while others, like neon leg warmers and pet rocks, have slunk off into obscurity without even so much as a backward glance. We, in the medical community, are not immune to the phenomenon of the fad. From “Tar Water” and “Metallic Tractors” to control pain (Hutchison BMJ 1925) to early goal directed therapy (Rivers et al. NEJM 2001) and intensive insulin therapy in critically ill patients (van den Berghe et al. NEJM 2001), the latest and greatest sweep through our communities at regular intervals.